Lighter



June 23, 1931.

L. c. AMENT, Now BY .sumcsAL CHANGE QF NAME L. c. THOMAS- LIGHTER Filed Aug. 24. 1929 aff/g?, keys y l r r r I, I u '.:ra/Avmllll llflll lis.. IIII n .llllllnh a f a n Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT vori-ica LUCY COTTON AMENT, NOW BY JUDICIAL CHAN GE F NAME LUCY COTTON THOMAS, OF

. NEW YORK, N. Y.

LIGHTER appneamn med August 24, 1929. serial No. 388,230. y

My invention relates to a lighting device for providing a flame when the casing thereof is opened. V

An object of the invention is the provision of a novel construction of lighter in which closure means 'are operated in unison with lighting means controlled by a hand'operated sleeve.

A further object is the provision of closure members capable ofproviding walled protection or shields for the flame of the lighter atl opposite sides when the closure means are opened, with a recess therebetween for access of the cigarette to the flame.

Another object is to provide means for controlling and limiting the extent of opening of said closure members.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the features, and 2 the combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of a preferred form of my invention in closed position with the open position shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 isa view of a modified form in which the cover carries an arcuate rack bar for actuating the friction wheel.

Fig. 3 is a view of a further modification in which the rack bar is spring pressed upwardly to actuate the friction wheel and is de ressed by the closure members in closing.

IFig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken ona line A-A as in Fig. 1, of a modification of Fig. 1 in which the'covers are hinged along the longer sides of the casing.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are views of modifications or improvements applicable to all forms of .4 the invention, but shown in connection with .a structure like that of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is taken substantially on line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the inner casing of my li hter which has sleeve 2 slidably mounted t ereon to operate and control the covers 3 hinged atopposite sides of the upper end of the casing. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, a vertically disposed rack bar 4 within the casing is secured to the sleeve 2 by a connection extending through slot 6 in the inner casing wall. This connection'may include a slide block 5 which slides along the slot on the inner side of the casing wall and through which the fixed pivot stud '5a for the rack bar projects from the sleeve wall.

The rack bar 4 is in engagement with ratchet portion 7 of friction wheel 8 so as to drive the wheel 8 upon downward movement of the rack bar and sleeve and so that upon upward movement of the sleeve and rack bargrelative to the casing, the rack bar will slip over the ratchet. The rackbar is pivotally mounted upon pivot 5a for this purpose and is yieldably held in engagement with the ratchet by spring 9 secured to the block 5.

A sparking stone 10 islslidably carried inl the upper end of a tube 11. and is Ayieldingly held in Contact with the Toughened or toothed surface of the friction Wheel by means of spring 13 mounted in the tube and bearing at its lower end u on the screw closure cap 14 ofthe tube. detent 15 for the ratchet 7 is mounted at the'upper end of the tube 11, and prevents the turning of the friction wheel upon the up stroke of the rack bar and sleeve.

The reservoir tube 16 with its Wick 17 ar shown in position, such that the wick will receive the sparks from the friction wheels and sparking stone upon downward movement of the sleeve and rack bar.

The covers or hinged cap members aref hingedly mounted at 18 at opposite sides of the casing and springs 19 are provided at the hinges for urging the covers to open position. As shown in dotted lines in Fig; 1, the covers when opened to provide access tothe lighter flame with cigar or cigarette, provide walled protection or shields for the flame at opposite sides thereof.

The sleeve 2 is frictionallyv mounted for easy sliding movement upon the casing and @l is slightly enlarged at its upper end to clear the hinges 18,y the upper edge of the sleeve engaging and pushing the doors or covers int-o closed position on upward movement aand controlling .the opening of the covers on downward movement of the sleeve. Raised portions 2O are provided upon the covers to ensure the complete closing thereof.

A limiting stop 2l is provided upon the casing wall to limit the downward movement of the sleeve and hence the amount 0f opening of the covers, so' that the covers provide walled protection at opposite sides of the Haine while providing sufficient opening therebetween for ready access to the flame with a cigarette or cigar.

The operation of this device will be clear from the above description. The lighter casing is closed and the light extinguished upon movement of the sleeve and rack bar, the doors being shut by the sleeve and the rack teeth slipping over the ratchet. To use the lighter the sleeve is drawn sharply down in a simple and quick movement, the doors opening and the rack bar operating the lighter.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, an arcuate rack bar 4a is hingedly secured to a cover 3a at 22 and is spring pressed into engagement with the ratchet 7a by spring 9a carried by the cover 3a.

In the operation of'this arrangement, as the sleeve 2a is pulled down, the covers 3a open by force of springs 19a at their hinges 18a and the arcuate rack bar la is moved to actuate the Jfriction wheel 8a against the y sparking stone 10a, the teeth of the rack bar engaging the teeth of the ratchet yportion 7a and rotating the wheel 8a. A detent 15a is providedto prevent rotation of the wheel 8a upon closing movement of the covers 3a by upward movement of the sleeve 2a.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 3, the rack bar 4 is slidably mounted in a guide tube 23 and is spring pressed upwardly to 'actuate the sparking wheel 8 by means of spring 24. Depression of the rack bar is effected by means of the elongated cover member 3 which, when in opened position, engages the end of the rack bar, as shown in dotted lines, and upon closing movement impelled by the upwardly moving sleeve, slides over the end of said rack bar and forces it downwardly into the position shown in full lines with the covers closed. In order to secure the requisite extent of movement of the rack bar, the rack bar actuating cover must be of a length to extend considerably beyond the rack bar when closed. This reduces the size of the other hinged cover 3 and causes them to meet at 25. The remaining structure of Fig. 3 is generally the same as that of Fig. 1, except that the rack bar teeth are disposed in the opposite direction in order that the sparking may be produced upon upward movement of the rack bar. The back wall 26 of the guide tube 23 comprises a resilient flat spring capable of yielding outwardly about the point 27 but normally maintaining the rack bar in engagement with the ratchet.

This spring wall 26 permits the rack bar to be defiected sufficiently in its downward movement to slip over the ratchet, the detent 15 preventing the ratchet 7 and sparking wheel 8 from turning upon said downward movement of the rack bar.

One of the hinged covers in each of the' embodiments shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3 is preferably provided with a flame extinguishing cup or. cap 28 secured thereto and movable with the cover to overli'e the wick when the cover is closed. y

In Fig. 4 is shown insectional plan view a modified form of my invention in which the covers meet along a line 29 and are hinged at 18 along the longer sides of the casing, thus providing greater shielding protection for the flame at opposite sides thereof. The hinge springs are shown at 19, the casing at 1 with the sleeve 2 surperforated as shown at 3() and provides af Awindshield 3l for the protection of the' flame, in addition to the protection afforded by the open covers. The flame is provided with ample air for combustion by means of the perforations or slits in the windshield Fig. 5 shows the sleeve in retracted position', with the covers 36 open and swung about hinges 37 into engagement with abutments 39, thus leaving the perforated windshield portion exposed, so that air for the fiame may enter through the perforations.

The sleeve 38 surrounds the casing and, as in all of the forms shown, is in sliding contact therewith at all points except where the sleeve must pass over the hinges to engage and close the covers or doors. t

A spring grip rendering the wick l7b readily removable and replaceable is pro'- wardly therefrom and then outwardly and downwardly-as shown in Fig. 5. The finger piece projects through slots 34 and 35 in the casing and sleeve walls respectively and is lll readily moved upwardly to release the wick from the grip and to receive a new one inserted through the ring 32, and is then moved downwardly to clamp the wick in place.

The enlarged heads 3211 of the spring prongs 32a, when drawn into the tube, are forced inwardly by engagement with the wall of the tube and thus securely grip the wick.

While the wick grip and the windshield are shown for convenience in only one fig- 'ure of the drawings, it will be understood that theymay be incorporated in all of the forms shown within the scope of the invention.

I claim: p

1. In combination in a lighter, an' inner casing, a cover hinged to said casing, a sleeve outside of the casing and slidable thereon to operate the cover, and lighting means within the casing operable in unison with said cover.

2. In combination in a lighter, an inner casing, a two part cover hinged at opposite sides of the top of the casing, a sleeve slidable outside of said casing to operate the hinged cover parts, and lighting means within the casing operable in unison with said cover.

3. In combination in a lighter, an inner casing, cover members hinged at opposite sides of the top of said casing, spring means at the hinges of said covers urging them to open position, a sleeve slidable outside of said casingto close the hin ed cover parts or to allow them to open, am? lighting means within the casing operable in unison with said cover members.

4. In a lighter according t'o claim 3, means A for limiting the downward movement of the sleeve on the casing, said covers being limit.- ed in their o ening movement b the upper end of the s eeve to provide wa ed protection at opposite sides of the flame with a central opening for passage of the flame and cigarette.

5. In a lighter according to claim 3, means or limiting the openin movement of the cover members to provi e walled protection by the covers at opposite sides of the llame with a central opening for passage of the iame and for insertion of cigar or cigarette v into contact with the flame.

6. In combination in a lighter, an inner casing, cover members hinged at opposite sides of the top of said casing, spring means at the hlnges of said covers Vurging them to open position, a sleeve slidable outside -of said casing to rictionally engage and close the hinged covers or toallow them to open, afuel reservoir and wick within saidcasing,

wick igniting means comprising a frictional Wheel and sparking stone within the casing,

said frictional wheel having ratchet teeth thereon, and a rack bar secured to said sleeve and movable with the sleeve to operate the lighting means in unison with the opening of the covers upon downward movement of the sleeve.

7. A lighter according to claim 6 in which said' inner casing is provided with a slot, a connection between said outer sleeve and said rack bar within the casin said connection extending through sai slot, Said sparking stone being slidably mounted within said casing, and a spring for urging said sparking stoneinto engagement with said friction wheel.

8. In combination in a lighter, a casin a wick and lighting `means therefor wit in the casing, a cover hinged to the casing, a sleeve outside of the caslng and slidable relative to said casing for operating the cover, and a member mounted on one of said movable parts for operating the lighting-means when the cover is operated.

9. In a lighter according to claim 3, said lighting means including a wick, a tube for receiving said wick, and a spring gri slidable in said tube and embracing saidp wick,

said grip comprising a ring receiving said -wick and having fixed thereto spring prongs tending to spring apart and adapted to be forced towards each other to grip the wick 

